


Songbird

by LEDGeneralPurposeLightbulb



Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Hugs, Hurt/Comfort, Mentioned Wilbur Soot, Past Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Past Child Abuse, Reminiscing, Sad Alexis | Quackity, Sad Toby Smith | Tubbo, Sad and Happy, They're finally free :'), much needed hugs, supportive quackity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-23
Updated: 2021-02-23
Packaged: 2021-03-13 05:55:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,003
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29646783
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LEDGeneralPurposeLightbulb/pseuds/LEDGeneralPurposeLightbulb
Summary: Tubbo revisits an old home and thinks.This is tagged as teen and up because there are descriptions of abuse.
Relationships: NONE.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 58





	Songbird

Cool, comfortable breeze ruffled Tubbo’s newly cut hair. Birds sang softly in the distance, a few skittering around the cracked stone bricks he was standing on. This was the perfect time to visit one of his old homes; spring signified rebirth right? And here he was, new and broken free from the mistreatment he’d endured while he’d lived there.

During Schlatt’s reign as president of L’manberg. 

If he had come any earlier, just the thought of the goat man would’ve made the calming breeze on his neck feel bitter and unrelenting. But fear rarely gripped at him when he thought of Schlatt anymore, only sadness; only longing for the time that had been wasted working with him...the time that had been wasted shaking in the room he’d stayed in, alone and scared. 

Personal space wasn’t exactly a thing in the whitehouse once Schlatt had started drinking.

Sometimes, he was lucky. On those rare occasions, he’d hear Schlatt stumble through the hallway into his own room and then a thud as he passed out on the ground. Those days, Tubbo was able to fall back to sleep. But usually he was not so lucky, the sound of a turning door knob telling the poor kid that he’d be up for a while.

A shiver ran up Tubbo’s spine at the memory; his door being swung so hard it almost fell off its hinges. Yelling. Ducking out of the way of flying objects. Then the eventual groan as his assailant finally blacked out in the hallway. 

_ “You are such a useless secretary, y’know that Tubbo?” He spat, voice full of venom and genuine hatred. Tubbo didn’t respond, focusing instead on the laptop resting on his bed, a message thread with Tommy pulled up.  _

_ Tubbo: Schlatt’s drunk and being a dumbass again, one sec.  _

_ Tommy: I know Will said it’s pointless but just kill that mofo right now pls _

_ Tommy: I’ll do it myself _

_ Tubbo: Nah Nah, just gotta take it for now I guess lol  _

_ Tommy: :( Tubso  _

_ “Answer me.” Schlatt demanded. _

_ “Um, yes sir, I guess?” Tubbo said confused, looking up from his computer. How did he expect him to respond to that? He noticed the quiet fire that raged behind Schlatt’s dark eyes, yet his face went completely calm. He really didn’t know what to say, but he knew that look, he knew that Schlatt was about to freak out and he had absolutely no way to get away from it.  _

_ Tubbo: Might not gonna be able to come hang tomorrow  _

_ Tubbo typed as quickly as he could and hit send before a glass bottle shattered right next to his head, sending a sea of glass raining down onto his bed.  _

_ Tommy: What? Tubbo are you okay? _

_ Tommy: Tubbo I’m sending Wilbur over right now _

_ The last message was left unread, Tubbo slamming his laptop shut and turning to glare directly into Schlatt’s glossy eyes.  _

_ “I hate you so much.” He said firmly. “I have never come across someone who is as narcissistic about their own self-loathing as you.” This was rare for him, he never snapped back at the president; Wilbur told him to just take it to keep his cover from being blown. But it was just too much. “Y’know this is the third time I will have had to clean glass off my bed? And even then, the sheets are all sticky with alcohol, so I have to change them.” Tubbo stood from the bed. He briefly thought of how unthreatening he looked in his green sweatshirt and pajama pants but he couldn’t bring himself to care. “I’m so tired of you pushing me around and treating me however you want just because you think you can.” He now stood only a foot or two from Schlatt, looking angrily up at him.  _

_ Sick realization washed over him as he noticed that Schlatt was chuckling quietly. A deep, sarcastic laugh that made Tubbo feel genuinely ill and paralyzed from the neck down. The two stood facing one another for what felt like forever as he just continued to laugh, even going as far as to wipe a fake tear from his eye. Hatred rolled off of Tubbo in waves.  _

_ “Oh, you really are so much fun.” Schlatt continued to laugh, raising his hand to the side of Tubbo’s face. He knew better than to move, reminiscing sadly of the other day when the older had slapped him for speaking too loudly. _

_ Schlatt ran his pointer finger across the teenager’s cheek, a soft look in his eyes.  _

_ “I almost feel bad for you sometimes.” He muttered quietly before harshly grabbing his chin. Tubbo cried out in pain, his brain catching up with the situation in time to feel jagged fingernails piercing his skin. His hands flew to Schlatt’s as he attempted and failed to pry it from his jaw.  _

_ “Stop moving or you’re gonna wish you were that bottle.” Schlatt hissed. Tubbo didn’t stop, still thrashing wildly against the hand on his face. Until he felt the president’s grip tighten exponentially, drawing blood from his jaw line with his fingernails.  _

_ “Wait I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” Tubbo cried softly, “please stop,”  _

_ Satisfaction spread quickly across the older face at the terrified look on Tubbo’s.  _

_ Silence surrounded them, tense and loaded, as they just stared into each other’s eyes, before Schlatt leaned down uncomfortably close to Tubbo’s face.  _

_ “I can’t wait for the day I get to watch you die.” Schlatt slurred, warm breath drenched with alcohol washing over Tubbo’s face. A small gasp echoed through the room, but it was reaction enough to satisfy Schlatt. He moved his hand harshly against Tubbo’s jaw, almost pushing him to the ground, and brought his hand back to his side.  _

_ Tubbo was done. He was 100% done with this treatment. Wilbur be damned, he did not deserve to be treated like this. _

_ “Write to me from hell, Schlatt, will you?” A sickening sweetness took over his voice, “Of course, only if you have time between lunch with Satan and tea with that Bundy fella.”  _

_ There was a moment of silence before Schlatt lunged forward, an enraged sound erupting from his throat. Tubbo grabbed his sword from under his pillow and spun quickly towards his attacker, but he hadn’t gotten far from his spot in the doorway.  _

_ Quackity stood behind him, his hands gripping Schlatt’s forearms tightly.  _

_ “Let me go, you stupid bi-”  _ _  
  
_

_ “Schlatt just-” Quackity grunted at the impact of Schlatt slamming his body against his. “Just shut up, God you’re so annoying.” He shrieked.  _

_ Tubbo watched, unsure of what to do as the eldest of the three struggled against Quackity’s grip for a little longer until… _

_ He went limp in Quackity’s arms, then slid to the floor. _

_ “Oh, he’s drunk isn’t he.” He said quietly, looking down at the man on the floor in disgust.  _

_ “Yeah, why wouldn’t he be.” Tubbo replied, just as quietly, winding his arms tightly around himself. Only the exasperated breaths from both teenagers filled the room as they both watched Schlatt’s body closely, both afraid that he’d spring up at any chance.  _

_ “I think the coast is clear.” Quackity muttered, nudging Schlatt’s hand across the floor. Tubbo nodded solemnly. _

_ “Could you um…” All of the previous courage had melted from his body and he just wanted to disappear into the floor.  _

_ “Did he get stuff on your bed again?”  _

_ “Yeah.”  _

_ Quackity sighed.  _

_ “I’ll help you, let me get him outta here first though.” He smiled brightly at Tubbo but the happiness didn’t breach his eyes. Tubbo tried his best to smile back.  _

_ The boy walked back to his bed, picked up the laptop, and opened it partially, letting the glass slide off and onto the blanket. A grunt and a bang came from the doorway where Quackity was kicking at Schlatt to scoot him into and down the hallway.  _

_ Tubbo couldn’t help but laugh a little at the sight before turning back to the computer and responding to the 157 messages he had received from Tommy.  _

_ Tubbo: I’m okay, I’m okay. Quackity came to help. _

_ Tommy: Oh my God you scared the shit out of me you little prick.  _

_ Tommy: I’m glad you’re okay. _

_ Tommy: Wilbur wouldn’t go over, he said it’d blow our cover. _

_ Tommy: Coward.  _

_ Tommy: I love you Tubbo _

_ Tubbo laughed quietly.  _

_ Tubbo: I love you too, Tommy, I’ll see you tomorrow after all.  _

_ “Alright, I managed to push him into his room but one of his horns is definitely wedged under the door.” Quackity announced, shutting the door with the heel of his foot.  _

_ “Good.”  _

  
  


\---

“You thinkin’ ‘bout that day too?” 

Quackity’s sudden voice startled Tubbo but he didn’t jump. 

“The day with the glass?” He asked, looking up at his guest, who was now standing next to him, staring at the building as well. 

“Oh, you gotta be more specific than that.” The older joked, nudging Tubbo’s shoulder with his own. 

“Oh my apologies, the one where he was  _ drunk  _ and with the glass.” Tubbo said with a dramatic hand over his chest. Quackity cackled at that, ruffling Tubbo’s hair softly before pushing his head gently to the side. 

“That narrows it down, thanks pal.” Sarcasm laced his voice; both boys knew they were thinking of the same day. It had been the most significant, because it was the last time that Schlatt had gone into Tubbo’s room when he got drunk and angry. 

“It was cuz you scared him, y’know.” Quackity said. He sounded far away from where they were, like he was living through the memory of that day again. Tubbo scoffed. 

“Or maybe he just thought I wasn’t worth the time.” He said quietly, grabbing his elbows.

“You’re not as helpless as everyone says you are, and you know that.” Quackity was rarely serious, his tone making Tubbo feel like a child being scolded by the usually laid back parent. “I hate that people give you such a hard time for just,” his face tightened as he tried to think of a word for it, “being a child, I don’t know. They act like a 16 year old is supposed to know what to do in a war. They make fun of you for being young and then make fun of you for not wanting to murder the people that you’re close to.” Quackity crossed his arms too, muttering other grievances quietly to himself. 

These thoughts had crossed Tubbo’s mind plenty of times, but he never thought it worth it to voice them to anyone. He continued to look up at the old white house, at the window to his old room and the long crack in it from where Schlatt had thrown a full bottle of bourbon at it once, fully sober. 

“Do you still like hugs, Big Q?” Tubbo asked softly, looking up at Quackity who laughed gently. The older opened his arms as wide as he could, his smile mirroring the movement. 

“Bring it in, Turbo.” 

Tubbo let himself fall into Quackity’s arms, a laugh bubbling up from his chest. 

“I’m glad we had each other, back then.” His voice was slightly muffled by the older’s shirt, but he heard him all the same. Quackity hugged the boy closer to him. 

“Me too.” He whispered softly, resting his cheek on Tubbo’s head. 

A songbird flew over their heads and landed on the empty flower box outside of Tubbo’s old window and began to whistle a pretty little tune. The flowers that had once been kept in that box were maintained by Tubbo; he’d planted them there and he took them with him when he moved out. 

For some reason, a new sense of relief expanded outward from Tubbo’s chest, making his body feel light. He’d since gotten over his time spent in the whitehouse, but being here with Quackity, being able to look  _ in  _ from the outside instead of feeling trapped behind his old bedroom window... something in him was finally able to fully accept that he was free.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments are appreciated!  
> Make sure to drink water and eat today <3


End file.
